Therapeutic apparatus



J. NAWARA THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1958 March l5, 1960 Z943 INV ENTOR.

@jef/hama@ BY Unite 2,928,675 THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Jozef Nawara,Chicago, Ill.

Application March 14, 1958, Serial No. 721,509

' 1 claim. (ci. 212-58) of the platform for preventing sliding of apatients bodyv in a longitudinal relation with the platform while thlatter makes teeter or seesaw motions.

Another object of thepresent invention is the provision of a pair ofstop members,.one at each end of the platform, one stop member engagingthe patients feet and the other stop member engaging va patients head,the Atwo stopV members i being provided Vwith suitable mechanism foradjustably interlocking the stop members with the platform in conformitywith the patients height while the patient remains in a recumbentposition upon the platform.

. A still further object of the present invention is the provision of asuitable mechanism whereby the said stop members may be adjusted on avertical plane with rela-A tion to the platform.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of asuitable pivotal connecting means for the stop member aforesaid wherebythe stop member may be angularly shifted with relation to the platform.and used asa cushion for supporting a patients head' when the platformis used as an examining table'.` v `With the above general objects inview and vothers that will appear as the invention is better understood,the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing an pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application, and in whichlikedesignating characters refer vto corresponding parts throughout theseveral views: Fig. 1 is a side elevational. view of a platform, withrates Patent" 2 4 Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the platformwitha rear side elevational view of the stop member -when the latter remainsin an operative position with the platform.

.v Referring to the-present drawing in detail there is shown therein anoblong platform 10. In a spaced relation with the edges of said platformis a rectangular tubular frame, which includes a pair of side rails 11and a pair of end rails 12. Rigidly affixed to the underface of platform10 is a plurality of plates 13. The outer A ends of said plates 13extend beyond the edges of plat-V form 10, and are directed upwardly,and there terminate in spoon-like members 14, defining cradles withinwhichA the rails 11 and 12 of the frame are received and upon which thesame rest. Said members 14 may be -welded or otherwise rigidly aixed tosaid rails 11 and 12 for maintaining the frame in a rigid spacedrelation with the edge of platform 10, as is'best seen in Fig. 2.

Supported in an adjustable vertical and longitudinal relation withplatform 10, at each end of the latter, are foot and head stops,generally indicated by 15 in Fig. 1, for supporting feet'and head of thepatient for preventing sliding of the patient longitudinally of platform10 when a patient remains in a supine position upon lthe platform and asthe latter makes seesaw motions upon its ,pivot as will be laterdescribed. .v Each- Vof said stops 15 includes backing 16,-made of stiffmaterial, to which cushion 17 is affixed in any suitable manner.Cushions 17 in a pair of said stops 15 are disposed toward each other,as is seen in Fig. l.

Hinge loop 18 is aixed to backing 16 through the medium of lateralflanges 19 extending from loop 18, and screws 20 or like fasteners,which are passed Vthrough said anges 19 and which engage said backing16. s

Journalled within loop 18 is the central portion of the U-shaped bar 21.VEach stop V15, includingbacking 16 and cushion 17, may be angularlyshifted with said loop 18 upon said central portion of said U-shaped'bar21 for the purposeof optionally bringing cushion 17 either to asubstantially vertical position with relationv to platform 10, as shownin Fig. l, or to a horizontal position. Whenin a vertical positioncushion 17 and its backing 16' function as a stop for thepurpose alreadymentioned, and whenV in a horizontal position cushion 17. may be used asa pillow or rest for supporting the 2 patients head. Screw 22 passedthrough said loop 18,

bearing against the said central portion of said U-shape'd bar-21interlocks the two, for maintaining stop 15 in its rigid adjustedrelation with said bar 21.

The ends of said U-shaped bar 21 are bent to define lateral extensions23. The latter are bent in a downastop member supported thereon at eachend ,of the platform .in a longitudinal as well as vertical adjustablefelation with the platform, further illustrating a support disposedbelow the platform in a'longitudinal central felation therewith, withthe pivotal connecting means between the platform and theA supportwhereby the platform may be capable of making teeterv or seesaw moftionsy upon said pivotal connecting means, further illustrating asuperstructure disposed above theplatform fory supporting a suitablemechanism operable by the patient ward perpendicular relation to definevertical extensions 24. Y

Means for supporting said stops 15 in a longitudinal adjustablerelationwith platform 10 includes a pair.l of tubular `members '25,I a pair ofwhich foreach of.said1 stops 15 is mounted upon the side rails 11 for'longitudinal sliding "movementthereon. Each of said tubular members-25,adjacent the 'end thereof'which is proximate to' the `endgof platform10,v is provided with an adjusting screw 26, passed through the body ofeach of said tuba..

whileon the platform, for alternately shifting the ends gwhich` saidvertical extensions are receivable and whereinlar members V25, and bears'against' said side rails 11 for maintaining saidf tubular members 25in' their 'rigid' adjusted relation therewith. Formed at the oppositeend of each of said tubular.' members 25 is a vertical tubular member27, within the' latter may' be adjusted vertically for1bringir'1gi-saidlstops 15 toward or away from platform 10. Screws .28.' passedthroughsaid vertical tubular*membersygg27a-i'are adapted' to engage" andbear against -said velrticalfjexteni sions 24 for maintaining the latterin their vertical ad Patented Matr.v 15, .1960

*maeva justed relation said'vertical tubularmembers upon platform 10, aswe ll as in a vertical relation with satapxatform 10. -Y Y Y yThesupport disposed below platform "I -ina sub sta-ntially longitudinallycentral relation 'therewitli, includes beam 29 positioned in atransverse relation witlll platform Said beam 29 isof a`substantially-iristoconical shape on a Vtransverse cross section,witlriits narrower end disposed in proximity of platform 10.

' zitfl-xedV to each end of said beam 29 by means of a plural-ity ofbolts or like fasteners 30,- is a sheathing lplate 31, `in an envelopingrelation with the sides and the upper end of said beam 29, said bolts 30being passedtlirough the side portions of said plates 31 and the sidesof saidV beam 29.A

Anixedtoeach side of beam'29', by meansof screws, bolts or likefasteners 32, is a pair of leg supporting plates 33,. one adjacent theinner edge ofthe side of each of said sheathing plates 3l. The attenedupper portion 34 of the upper tubular leg'portion 35 is'aliixed to eachof said plates-33 by means of screws, boltsy or like fasteners 36. Thusthere are four of said upper tubular leg portions 35, a pair on eachside of beam 29 in a downwardly spreading relationwitli the opposed pairof said tubular cated by Soin Fig. l, comp sed of a plurality oftelescopic'ally interconnected parts 51, 52 and 53, which areinterconnected by screws 54for the purpose ofmaintaining said parts-invtheir extended adjusted relation to- 4ward or away from the floor.

The lowermost part 51 of stop member 50 kat each end of platform 10coming in contact with `the floor limitsthe downward shifting movementof that end of platform 10 toward the tloor.

i One of said Vstop members 50 may be extended farther ing table.

leg portions aixed to the opposite side of said beam 29, as is seen inFigs. 1 and 3.v

, Receivable through the lower open endof each ofjsttid` l tubular vlegportions 35 is a Ycylindricallower leg portion 37, in: ai'telescopically adjustable relation. Screws 38 passed tlu'ough the'lower ends of said upper tubular leg portions 35, engaging said lowerlegportions 37 mains Vtain the two Vleg portions in theirverticallyadjusted re-` lation, for thereby maintaining platform 10 inits adjusted distanced relation with the floor. Casters V3:9 carriedbythe lower ends of said cylindrical lower por"-v tions 37 of the legssupport the'legs upon the floor.

Welded or otherwise rigidly axed to the intermediate upper portion ofeachV of said sheathing plates 31 is a cylindrical bearing 40, the outerend of which is sealed by the end plate 41, which is provided with adiametrical slot for receiving therewithin tongue 42 formed at each rndAof cylindrical shaft 43.- By virtue of this arrange-v ment shaft 43 isrigidly interconnected with beam "29 and Vremains immovable withrelation thereto. Iournalldfof a'rotary movement upon said shaft 43 is atubular hinge member 44v which is interposed between the inner-ends ofsaid cylindrical bearings 40. Said hinge member.44 is welded orotherwise rigidly ailixed to the underface ofsaid platform 10 in-atransverse longitudinally central relation therewith. By virtue .of thisarrangementV said tubular hinge member 44 permits teeter or seesawmotion of platform 10 upon shaftr43 when the ends of platform 10 arecaused to alternatelyA angularly `shift Vin. upward and downwarddirections. Y.

Braces 45 interconnect the four legs Vforming the support for platform10. A

Each upper tubular leg portion 3S is provided with a' downwardlydirected hook 46, which is engaged by the lower Vend of coil spring 47.Y On each sideof pivot 43-44 there is a pair of downwardly dependingplates 48 axcd to the .underface of platform 10, each plate 48 beingprovided with a `row of apertures 49, with one of which the upper end ofcoil spring .47 is capable of selective engagement. By virtue of thisarrangement coil springs 47 exert pulling action upon platform 10adjacent each endof the` latter for the purpose of normally tending toshift platform 10 to horizontal position.` The engagement of upper endsof springs 47 on each side of pivot 43-44 may be varied to conform to apatients weight at each end of plat-` means of screw 63.` Y Y towardvthe floor than the other of said stop members 50, thereby permittingone end of the platform to shift farther away from the door thanl theother end of the platform, depending upon the particular therapeuticVrequirements of any given patient.- Optionally both of said stopmembers, 50 may be ,extended in contact with the oor thereby, preventingthe scesaw motion of the platform. In this last instance the platformwould be rendered immovable and may then be used as an examin- Thesuperstructure aforesaidVV includes a substantially rectangularl frame`55, which is `supported byfour legs 56, including a telescopicallyextensible member 57, the lower end of which carries caster 58. Saidextensible member 57 may be rigidly aixed to the upper portion of leg 56by means of screw or like fastener 59 for main taining the leg in itsrigid adjusted relationfor supporte Y ing' frame 55 in any selecteddistance from platform 10.

Brace 60 connects the upper end of each leg 56 with the longitudinalside member of frame for further supporting said frame 55 upon said legs56.

One or more rods 61disposedrwithin the pair of the side members offrameSSgjin fa longitudinal spaced relation, and rigidly connected'withthe' end members of said frame 55, support "oneor moresleeves 62 in asliding relation, adjustable `upon .rod V61 in a rigid relation :by

Said sleeve 6Z'is provided with a downwardly dependling hook 64 forremovably supporting thereon rod 65,

to the lower endY of which is connected ina swivelled relation a pulleysupporting xture 68 which carries pulley y67. A cord passed over one ormore pulleys 67 is capable of supporting weights,thandles and numerousother exercising devices for exercising legs, hands and arms of apatient while reposing upon platform 10. v

Supported within frame 55 in a swivelled relation, and l centrallythereof, is a pair of pulleys 68. The end members of. frame 55 are eachsupporting pulley 69 in a vswivellecl relation; Said pulleyssand 69 aredisposed below .the plane of Asaid frame 55". 1 w

vPassedover one of said end pulleys 69 audone of said central pulleys 6sis cord 70, while passed over the opposite end pulley 69 and theremaining central pulley` 68 is cord 71.A The ends of said cords 70 and71 past said central pulleys 68 are 'connected with stir'rups orhandles'. 7 2, while the opposite 'ends of said'fcords 70 and 71, pastsaid end pulleys 69 lead in a downward direction and are disengageablyconnected with hooks 73 each downwardly dependingfromeach endof platform10.

When a patient reposing upon platform 10 alternately imparts by hishands a pulling action in a downward direction upon one or `the other ofsaid handleslz the ends of platform 10 will be caused to angular-lyshift in an. upward direction thereby imparting to platform' 10 a seesawmotion upon its pivot I3- 44, thereby' afford.- ing exercise tothe'pa'tients hands and `arms and aiding the` blood circulation asthepatients body is subjected to the seesaw' motion with the platform.

On disconnecting the ends of cords 70'and 71 from hooks 73 platform 10may then be shifted with its appurtenances away from said frame 55,casters 39 peu.l mitting free rolling upon the floor. When platform 10has been removed from under frame 55, with stop men bers 50 extended/toan equal length and in contact with the door', with the several parts51, 51 and salumi-cow extension at the free ends of' said U-shaped bar,tubular members rigidly formed with and extending in a verticallytransverse relation with said supporting sleeves, said extensions beingreceivable within said tubular members and being shiftable therewithinin a vertical direction a for ,adjusting the distance of said bar fromsaid platform,

adjusted cushion 17 is capable of use as a pillow for supporting thepatients head.

While there are described herein preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

In a therapeutic apparatus including a pivotally supported platform,means for imparting a seesaw motion to the platform while the lattersupports a recumbent patient thereon, and a pair of longitudinal railsin spaced relation with the platform and connected thereto, a pair ofstop cushion devices one at each end of the platform for engaging thehead and feet of a patient while in recumbent position on the platform,each said device comprising a pair of supporting sleeves slidablyadjustable on said rails, a U-shaped bar in transverse relation with theplatform and disposed thereabove, downwardly directed means forinterlocking said tubular members with said extensions for maintainingthe latter in their adjusted relation with said tubular members, eachsaid device in cluding a cushioned member having a stiff backing and acushion thereon, the two cushions being disposed in a face-to-facerelation, a hinge loop carried by the backing of each cushioned member,said hinge loop being in an encompassing relation with said bar forangularly adjusting said cushioned members upon said bar, and means forinterlocking said hinge loop with said bar adjusted relation with saidbar.v

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WantzSept. 4, 1917 Berne Feb. 21, 1956

